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Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC)
Website: <http://www.goadesc.org/>www.goadesc.org Email:
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Press Clippings on the web:
<http://www.goadesc.org/mem/>http://www.goadesc.org/mem/
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Protect consumers
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On March 15th we will be celebrating Consumer Rights Day.
In Goa we are still in a nascent stage, and it is only because
of NGOs like Goa Desc and the co-operation of the Department
of Civil Supplies that many victories have been achieved, resulting
in savings whether in Home Gas Delivery, or Telephone Billings etc.
But what remains to be percolated down is that everybody is a
consumer. For everyone from the CM to the supplier, consume
something. Whether light or gas or toothpaste. Thus any non
conformance to quality affects someone or the other.
So whether we have been swindled of a couple of hundreds
in a stall of an exhibition or of thousands/ lakhs by an unscrupulous
agent of a financial scheme we can claim justice.
However there are three points which deny justice,
one lack of information, two lack of people insisting on a receipt,
three the perseverance to close the case by oneself.
Unfortunately for the first point, financial fraud is not taken
as seriously as robbery. Which is why we deify people like
the late Harshad Mehta but treat with contempt the
incriminated migrant vendor. Seeming to say,
"When you rob big you are a king
but when you rob small, you are a thief".
Secondly people are too eager to trade ones rights
(the bill/receipt) for a discount without receipt. Thirdly
few people are willing to "pay the price " in the form
of time lost in pursuance of the case, especially
when many times it is our own family or fellow consumers
who rather than supporting us, take the side of the wrongdoers.
It is time people woke up to realize
it is not a matter of just money but principle.
Karl Pinto DeSousa, Moira
in a letter to the Editor
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HERALD 14/03/06 page 10
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GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK
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promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa
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GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601
GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507
mailto: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: <http://www.goacan.org/>www.goacan.org
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